PRESENT ANOMALIES OF PANCHAYAT RAJ

There is nothing new; the people argue that the panchayats exists even now. Through the panchayati raj the villagers are connected with the government. The anomaly is that after independence in the name of panchayati raj the kind of set up that is created fosters corruption because it gives the rights and power to the political leaders, government officers instead of people. 

Instead of strengthening the administration on the village level, unfortunately panchayats have become a conduit of implementing various schemes of state government. The schemes are made either in the center or in the capitals of state governments. Panchayats are given orders to only implement them.

These schemes sometimes have no relevance to ambitions and aspirations of the people.

There are many anomalies in the panchayati raj administration. Broadly the following strangulate the system’s capabilities.

1. Panchayats have very few rights and powers. There is no control what so ever of the panchayats on government employees and government funds. 
2. Whatever rights that have been given to the panchayats, vest with the pradhan or the sarpanch.The Sarpanch is the soul of the panchayat. All decisions are taken by him. Gram sabhas (or people) have no right to veto his decision. In, The Gram Sabha can give suggestion to the sarpanch. However, the sarpanch is free to either accept or reject their advice. 
3. Therefore, most of the sarpanchs have become corrupt. And the people are not empowered to take any action against them. 
4. Only the Collector has been empowered to take action against an incompetent, irresponsible and corrupt sarpanch. The Collector can initiate any action against the sarpanch. He can also suspend him. Therefore, most of the sarpanchs are scared of the Collector and the Block Development Officer, who is a subordinate of the Collector. The Collector of a district is an employee of the state government, in much the same way as the Governor is an employee of the central government. Fortunately, the Governor does not have any rights to interfere in the affairs of the state government. Unfortunately, the Collector has unlimited power to interfere in the affairs of the state government. The state governments, therefore, through the Collector interferes in the affairs of the Gram Sabha or the people.  

Let us see some of the anomalies of the present Panchayat Raj.